Propelling apparatus for aerial and other machines.



c. J. LAKE. PBOPELLING APPARATUS FOR AERIAL AND OTHER ILOHIHBS. APPLIOATIOII TILED APR. 8, 1909. RENEWED JULY 15, 1011.

1,01 7,564, Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTOPHER J. LAKE, 01? BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

PROPELLING APPARATUS FOR AERIAL AND OTHER MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed April 8, 1909, Serial No. 488,703. Renewed July 15, 1911.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

Serial No. 688,730.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER J. LAKE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Propelling Apparatus for Aerial and other Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention paratus and has special reference to the art of aerial navigation, but it is to be understood that the practice of my invention need not be confined to the propulsion of aerial machines but it may extend as well to any form of land or water vehicle or vessel that is self-propelled.

he present invention comprises, in modified form, apparatus set forth in Letters Patent Number 915,972, granted March 23, 1909, with additional features of improvement thereon to more fully carry out the princi les and fulfil the objects therein indicate The object of my invention is to provide a simple, direct and economical means for the utilization of confined fluid pressure as a propelling force.

A more particular object is to provide for the employment of pressure'fluid to actuate propeller blades through the agency of a turbine or engine and at the same time to employ the pressure fluid for direct jet propulsion as it passes from the turbine.

A further particular object is to first impart the energy of pressure fluid impulsively to free atmospheric air to produce a moving current to be utilized to drive a turbine wheel and also for direct jet propulsion as it leaves the turbine.

With the-above objects in view and further objects which will appear upon complete disclosure herein, I have conceived my invention and embodied it in a form of apparatus which is illustrated on the accompanying sheet of drawing and described by reference thereto, it being understood that the drawing is merely to illustrate the principle of the invention and indicates only one of the various forms of apparatus by which the invention may be carried out.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, Fig. 2 is a rear elevation and Fig. 3 a front view of the turbine wheel and propelling blades.

Referring to the drawing: 1 represents relates to propelling ap- .11 fixed in the center of a grid or the deck, body or framework of an aerial or other vehicle.

2 represents a generator or tank for the production or storage of any suitable pressure fluid, such as steam, compressed air, carbonic acid gas or the products resulting from the explosion or burning of gas or vapor.

3 is a pipe leading from the generator and terminating in the expanding nozzle 4, which is provided with apertures 5 and 6 inclined in the direction of flow. The nozzle 4 is contained within the mouth of a conduit 7, the longitudinal axis of which coincides with the direction of travel. The anterior portion or mouth 8 of the conduit has a flaring form for the collection and conduct or air to the contracted portion or throat 9. From the throat of the conduit its walls diverge continuously to the posterior end where an axial-flow turbine wheel 10 is mounted in such manner as to be driven by the fluid traversing the conduit. The turbine wheel revolves about a stud or shaft spider 12, the radial arms of which form guide Vaues to direct the fluid at a favorable angle against the moving vanes of the turbine wheel. The turbine wheel 10 consists of a hub 14, a set of radial vanes 15 and a circular band 16 to which the ends of the vanes are secured and held in position. The band 16 is of about the same diameter as the adjacent end of the conduit. Upon the peripheral surface of the turbine Wheel and secured to the band 16 at equal intervals is a series of propelling blades 18, which, in the present illustration are three in numher. I find it of great advantage to mount these blades directly on the periphery of the turbine, but it is' to be understood that the propeller blades need not necessarily be so mounted but, if found desirable, they may be placed on a separate shaft and connected with the turbine wheel by belts and pulleys or other suitable mechanism.

he operation is as follows: Pressure fluid from the generator is turned on by the valve 13. The fluid issues with great energy through the nozzle 4, and, passing the apertures 5 and 6 and the end of the nozzle, creates a suction by which the air is drawn in to be driven rearwardly through the conduit. At the rearward end of the conduit the current of air and pressure fluid impinges upon the vanes 15 of the turbine wheel, the fluid being first suitably deflectied by the guide vanes forming the spider 12. Under the action of the lluid current the turbine wheel revolves and causes the propeller blades 18 to drive the vehicle forward by their well-known screw-action upon the air. Accompanying this action of the propellers 18 an additional propelling force is being exerted, upon the jet-reaction principle, by the fluid current as it leaves the turbine wheel in a direction opposite to that of the vehicle with so much of its energy as has not been absorbed, and this remaining ener y is utilized directly for propulsion. By t is arrangement the two forms of propulsion are not only employed at the same time, but each in the most advantageous manner. It is well known that in the usual forms of aerial propellers it is only the outermost portions of the blades .that produce any great effect and that the ortions near the axis are as likely to retard the propulsion as the are to aid. By placing my propeller bla es on the periphery of the band 16 I avoid bringing any portion of the blades near the center and also provide means for the turbine wheel to be connected directly within the propeller itself. In a like manner the jet propulsion by the fluid current is most ..dvantageously employed, since the current is projected rearward in a large stream and with moderate velocity after yielding up a portion of its energy to the turbine. Taken together, the rearwardl projected current and the revolving prope ler blades drive the vessel or vehicle forward with very great efliciency, by reason of the very large crosssectional area of atmosphere that is acted on by the current and the blades together.

Some features of the described apparatus may be omitted without thereby rendering the other portions inoperative: For example,the apertures in the nozzle 4 might be dispensed with and the nozzle extended in lace of the diverging portion of the condult 7. The turbine wheel would then be driven by the pressure fluid from the generator alone and without admixture of air. The guide vanes of the spider 12 might also be omitted and the driving fluid allowed to impinge directly upon the moving vanes of the wheel.

Having now fully described one embodiment of my invention what I claim is:

1. In a propelling apparatus, in combination, a longitudinal conduit, means for producing a fluid current therethrou h from front to rear for direct propulsion y reaction, a turbine wheel located in the path of and driven by said current and ropeller blades actuated by said turbine w eel and arranged so as to cause a corresponding current in the air exterior to the conduit.

t 2. In a propelling apparatus, in combinal lion. a longitudinal conduit, means for producinp a tluid current tlu-rct'hrough from 1 front to rear for direct propulsion by reaction. an axial-[low turbine \\'ll('('l at the rear t end of thccouduit driven bysaid current and 1 propeller blades mounted on the periphery t of said turbine wheel and arranged so as to cause a corrcspoluling current in the air exterior to the conduit.

3. In a propelling apparatus, in combination, a longitudinal conduit. means for pro ducing a fluid current therethrough from front to rear for direct propulsion by reaction, a turbine uhccl located in the path of and driven by said current and propeller blades mounted on the periphery of said turbine wheel and arranged so as to cause a corresponding current in the air exterior to the conduit.

4. In a propelling apparatus, in combination, a longitudinal conduit, means for producing a fluid current therethrou h from front to rear for direct pro ulsion y reaction, guide vanes arranged in the discharge end 0 the conduit, a turbine wheel adjacent said guide vanes to absorb a portion of the energy of the current and propeller blades actuated by,,said turbine wheel and arranged so as to cause a corresponding current in the air exterior to the conduit.

5. In a propelling apparatus, in combination, a longitudinal conduit, means for producing a fluid current therethrough from front to rear for direct propulsion by reaction, guide vanes arranged in the discharge end of the conduit, a turbine wheel adjacent said guide vanes to absorb a portion of the energy of the current and propeller blades mounted on the periphery of said turbine Wheel and arranged so as to cause a corresponding current in the air exterior to the conduit.

6. In a propelling apparatus, in combination, a longitudinal conduit, a nozzle in said conduit adapted to discharge a pressure fluid and impel air therethrough to form a current, a turbine Wheel located in the path of said current and propeller blades mounted on the periphery of said turbine wheel and arranged so as to cause a corresponding current in the air exterior to the conduit.

7. In a propelling apparatus, in combina tion, a longitudinal conduit having rearwardly diverging walls, a nozzle in said conduit adapted to discharge a pressure fluid and impel air therethrough to form a current, a turbine wheel located in the path of and driven by said current and pro eller blades mounted on the periphery 0 said turbine wheel and arranged so as to cause a corresponding current in the air exterior to the conduit.

8. In a propelling apparatus, in combination, a longitudinal conduit having real wardly diverging walls, a nozzle in said conduit adapted to discharge a pressure fluid and impel air therethrough to form a current said nozzle having diverging walls with 5 inclined apertures for the induction of air a turbine wheel located in the path of. an driven by said current and propeller blades mounted on the periphery of said turbine wheel and arranged so as to cause a corresponding current in the air exterior to the conduit.

9. In a propelling apparatus, in combination, means for discharging a fluid current rearwardl for direct propulsion by reac- 15 tion, a tur ine wheel in the path of said current for absorbing a portion of the ener thereof and propeller blades actuated y said turbine wheel and arranged so as to cause a corres onding current in the air, parallel to the fluid current. v

10. In a propelling apparatus, in combination, means for discharging a fluid current rearwardly for direct propulsion by reaction, a turbine wheel in the path of said current for absorbing a portion of the energy thereof and propeller blades mounted on the periphery of said turbine wheel and arranged so as to cause a corres onding current in the air, parallel to the uid current.

CHRISTOPHER J. LAKE.

Witnesses J 0s. H. Bmcnwooo, THOMAS BARR. 

